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NETGEAR GS108 8-Port Gigabit Unmanaged Switch vs NETGEAR MS305 5-Port Multi-Gigabit (2.5G) Unmanaged Switch

Researched, not hands-on tested.How we review ›

all judged against network switches at a similar price

The NETGEAR GS108 8-Port Gigabit Unmanaged Switch scores 6.3/10 overall, ahead of the NETGEAR MS305 5-Port Multi-Gigabit (2.5G) Unmanaged Switch at 6.1/10.

The NETGEAR GS108 8-Port Gigabit Unmanaged Switch leads on management and firmware and support.

The NETGEAR MS305 5-Port Multi-Gigabit (2.5G) Unmanaged Switch leads on port speeds.

They score the same on port count and uplinks, noise and efficiency and poE.

NETGEAR 8-Port Gigabit Ethernet Unmanaged Switch (GS108)

NETGEAR GS108 8-Port Gigabit Unmanaged Switch

6.3/10verdict: good, not the best

The NETGEAR GS108 is for anyone who needs eight more wired Gigabit ports with no configuration. It suits a desk, a media cabinet or a small lab where quiet running matters. It does not suit buyers who need VLANs, PoE or ports faster than Gigabit.

Typically about £24.99 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

NETGEAR MS305 5-Port Multi-Gigabit (2.5G) Unmanaged Switch

NETGEAR MS305 5-Port Multi-Gigabit (2.5G) Unmanaged Switch

6.1/10verdict: good, not the best

The NETGEAR MS305 is for anyone who wants to move a small wired network to 2.5GbE without configuring anything. It suits a desk, a home office or a homelab shelf where five ports and silence matter more than VLANs or PoE. Buyers who need segmentation, powered devices or fibre uplinks should look at other models.

Typically about £127.77 in the UK when we researched itSearch Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

Scores, criterion by criterion

CriterionWeightNETGEAR GS108 8-Port Gigabit Unmanaged SwitchNETGEAR MS305 5-Port Multi-Gigabit (2.5G) Unmanaged Switch
Port speeds30%6/107/10
Management20%6/104/10
Port count and uplinks15%5/105/10
Noise and efficiency15%9/109/10
PoE10%5/105/10
Firmware and support10%7/106/10
Overall6.3/106.1/10

Specifications

SpecNETGEAR GS108 8-Port Gigabit Unmanaged SwitchNETGEAR MS305 5-Port Multi-Gigabit (2.5G) Unmanaged Switch
Ports8 Gigabit RJ-45 copper ports5 copper RJ-45 ports
Port speeds10/100/1000 Mbps on each port100M/1G/2.5G on each port
ManagementUnmanaged, no VLANsUnmanaged
PoE budgetNone (PoE ports n/a, PoE budget n/a)None (non-PoE switch)
Uplinks (SFP/SFP+)None listed; Gigabit copper only, no SFP or SFP+ portnot listed
Switching capacity16 Gbps25 Gbps switching capacity; 16K MAC entries; 1 MB buffer
CoolingFanlessFanless

Strengths and weaknesses

NETGEAR GS108 8-Port Gigabit Unmanaged Switch

  • + Fanless, with acoustic noise listed as 0
  • + Plug-and-play setup with nothing to configure
  • + Limited lifetime warranty and 90 days of support
  • − Gigabit only, with no 2.5GbE, 10GbE or SFP uplink
  • − Unmanaged, so no VLANs
  • − Owners report failures in older revisions after a few years

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who need VLANs or any switch management
  • Anyone powering access points or cameras who needs PoE
  • Users with 2.5GbE or 10GbE devices, or who want an SFP uplink
Read the full NETGEAR GS108 8-Port Gigabit Unmanaged Switch review ›

NETGEAR MS305 5-Port Multi-Gigabit (2.5G) Unmanaged Switch

  • + 2.5G on all five ports with 1G fallback
  • + Fanless and silent, according to owners
  • + 3-year hardware warranty
  • − Unmanaged, so no VLAN support
  • − No PoE on any port
  • − No SFP or SFP+ uplink ports

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who need VLANs or any switch management features
  • Anyone planning to power access points or cameras over PoE
  • People who want SFP or SFP+ uplinks or more than five ports
Read the full NETGEAR MS305 5-Port Multi-Gigabit (2.5G) Unmanaged Switch review ›

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